There are comings and goings on veteran TV shows every year, but the start of the 2011-12 season brings an unusually high rate of... Show More »

There are comings and goings on veteran TV shows every year, but the start of the 2011-12 season brings an unusually high rate of cast turnover -- and not just around the margins.

Several big-name stars who were pretty much synonymous with their shows have moved on, for various reasons, and new actors, including some equally big stars (we're looking at you, Merrs. Kutcher and Spader) have moved in. Will it all work out? Time will tell. But to help you get up to speed on the season, here's a look at who's in and who's out on some of your favorite returning series.

Capt. Montgomery is no longer with us, having been killed in last season's finale -- which als... Show More »

OUT: Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Capt. Montgomery is no longer with us, having been killed in last season's finale -- which also exposed him as (an unwilling) part of the conspiracy surrounding the murder of Beckett's (Stana Katic) mother. He died doing the right thing, but he didn't tell Beckett who her mom's killer was.

The former "24" and "Larry Sanders Show" regular is the new boss on "Castle," and the fact that peopl... Show More »

IN: Penny Johnson Jerald

The former "24" and "Larry Sanders Show" regular is the new boss on "Castle," and the fact that people call her character, Capt. Victoria Gates, "Sir" should give you some idea of just how much authority she commands.

Danson's character, D.B. Russell, joins the CSI crew after moving from Portland where he held a similar job. ... Show More »

IN:Ted Danson

Danson's character, D.B. Russell, joins the CSI crew after moving from Portland where he held a similar job. He has been characterized as being raised by counterculture parents who home-schooled him, and he's also a father himself. Executive producer Don McGill said of Russell, "Here's this character who has things really, really in balance: family; work; life."

Stiles starred as Lumen Ann Pierce, a sexual abuse victim who teams up with Dexter to hunt down and kill he... Show More »

OUT: Julia Stiles

Stiles starred as Lumen Ann Pierce, a sexual abuse victim who teams up with Dexter to hunt down and kill her abusers. In the process of securing street justice, they become lovers. Pierce leaves him in the season finale after her need to kill wanes.

Sam Evans, best known for his blonde Bieber hair and his pouty lips, is out after a year at McKinley High... Show More »

OUT: Chord Overstreet

Sam Evans, best known for his blonde Bieber hair and his pouty lips, is out after a year at McKinley High. It appears we'll never find out whether love would bloom between the man with the golden locks and Mercedes (Amber Riley).

Paolo is a regular on ABC's new series "Revenge," and he says we've seen the last of his "Gos... Show More »

OUT: Connor Paolo

Paolo is a regular on ABC's new series "Revenge," and he says we've seen the last of his "Gossip Girl" character: "Eric's going to college and he's going to stay there. He doesn't come home for Christmas anymore."

Vanessa is going to study abroad, and although the door is open for Szohr to return as a guest star, c... Show More »

OUT: Jessica Szohr

Vanessa is going to study abroad, and although the door is open for Szohr to return as a guest star, chances are we won't see much, if any, of her on the Upper East Side anymore. (And yes, we know Taylor Momsen is gone too, but she was barely there last season, so we're not including her here.)

Mark Valley joins Harriet Korn's law firm as attorney Oliver Richard. He previously starred as vigilante assassin Christopher Chance on the FOX action drama "Human Target." He's no stranger to the court room having worked with David Kelley on "Boston Legal."

There's a new, hot-shot lawyer working for Harriet Korn in Season 2 of "Harry's Law." Kar... Show More »

IN: Karen Olivo

There's a new, hot-shot lawyer working for Harriet Korn in Season 2 of "Harry's Law." Karen Olivo joins the cast as Cassie Reynolds. Olivo is a Tony Award-winning actress who has also guest starred on "The Good Wife."

Although she was only in a handful of episodes, Smart loomed large over the season as the governor of H... Show More »

OUT: Jean Smart

Although she was only in a handful of episodes, Smart loomed large over the season as the governor of Hawaii. Her character was killed in the first-season finale as part of a frame-up against McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin).

The real-world reason is that Edelstein and the show couldn't agree on a new deal. In the show, that c... Show More »

OUT: Lisa Edelstein

The real-world reason is that Edelstein and the show couldn't agree on a new deal. In the show, that could be a bit problematic, since when we last saw Cuddy, House (Hugh Laurie) had just rammed his car into her living room.

Meloni, who had been with "SVU" from day one, couldn't come to terms with the show on a new c... Show More »

OUT: Chris Meloni

Meloni, who had been with "SVU" from day one, couldn't come to terms with the show on a new contract and is leaving after 12 seasons. Stabler's departure will be discussed on-screen, but he's unlikely to appear.

Spader, who guested in last season's finale, is Robert California, who initially gets Michael's... Show More »

IN: James Spader

Spader, who guested in last season's finale, is Robert California, who initially gets Michael's branch manager job but by the time the season premieres will be the CEO of Sabre. The character has family in Scranton, which means he'll be around quite a bit.

Dr. Jake Riley surfaced at the end of last season. Riley is a fertility doctor who knows all the late... Show More »

IN: Benjamin Bratt

Dr. Jake Riley surfaced at the end of last season. Riley is a fertility doctor who knows all the latest technology. He and Addison (Kate Walsh) kissed in the season finale, but when he offers her a chance to vacation with him in Fiji, she declines.

Following a high-profile blowout with EP Chuck Lorre, Sheen's character was killed off th... Show More »

OUT: Charlie Sheen

Following a high-profile blowout with EP Chuck Lorre, Sheen's character was killed off the highly-rated comedy. While the details are still to come, it appears that Charlie Harper suffers an 'accident' by falling/getting shoved in front of a Paris subway car.

Kutcher joins as Walden Schmidt, a character CBS describes as "an Internet billionaire with a b... Show More »

IN:Ashton Kutcher

Kutcher joins as Walden Schmidt, a character CBS describes as "an Internet billionaire with a broken heart." Schmidt will be brought in slowly over the first two post-Sheen episodes before being fully integrated into the show.